Adam, please explain the politics of other event and how you believe this can be resolved.
Regarding "the feel good factor" & good entry, until 6 hours before the start of the race there were six confirmed and paid up entries putting huge stain on the race administration in every way. Would you expect organising club members to subsidise an event in which most of them have no interest, in the hope that it will be alright in the end? Or would you agree that commitment, hard work on the part of Event Directors and VOLENTEER officials deserve at least the curtesy of a definite yes or no from their "customers" before the outlay of non recoverable funds. It is much easier not to organise a race than to go through the frustrating process of trying to find out what competiters want and supply it!!!!